Flattening and Optical Indexing

When you first used your pencil as a measuring device, you extended your arm and closed one eye. Why did I ask you to close one eye? Try it with both eyes open. It doesn't work. It takes both eyes to have depth perception, which you don't want, because you're drawing on a two-dimensional piece of paper. Closing one eye flattens the world around you. Aha! You've just established a drawing technique! To draw a three-dimensional image on a two-dimensional piece of paper, you must close one eye.

Optical Indexing Tool

The next tool to help you find out where the facial features are located is called "optical indexing." That is a fancy way of saying things line up. What features on your face line up? Is it possible to use the location of one facial feature to find out where the others are located? Take a look at the two drawings on this page and the two photos on the next page, and notice how the features line up.

The edges of the male nose line up with the start of the white of the eye.

Note: You will soon begin to notice that you will see the same generic male and female faces throughout the book. Using the same face to teach multiple lessons will help you to better see all the parts that make up the whole. Refer back to individual lessons as necessary.

The eyebrow will often start at the inside corner of the eye.

Ears are roughly as long as the nose, and may run from the eyes/eyebrows to the base of the nose.

The edges of the male nose line up with the start of the white of the eye.

The eyebrow will often start at the inside corner of the eye.

Ears are roughly as long as the nose, and may run from the eyes/eyebrows to the base of the nose.

The mouth is roughly as wide as the center of the eye.

The eyebrow often ends in line with the nose on the outside of the eye.

If I make an imaginary line straight down from the eye in this photograph, it will bring me to the outside of the nose. I now know how far down the nose comes to (because I measured it compared to the eye) and how wide the nose is.

The mouth is roughly as wide as the center of the eye.

The eyebrow often ends in line with the nose on the outside of the eye.

Grid/optical indexing

Using a grid is probably one of the oldest systems artists have used to establish correct proportions. There are two types of grids (or optical indexing) you can use: First, you can draw equally-spaced horizontal and vertical lines across your paper. Repeat this pattern on your photo. Now draw the shapes that occur within each square and locate where the shapes cross the guidelines. If your grid is the same size as your photo, you can draw each shape the same proportion on your paper. You can also enlarge or reduce the size of drawings by simply adjusting the size of the grid on your paper and proportionally changing the size of the shapes on your paper. Secondly, draw an occasional horizontal and vertical line or two (or as many as you need) to orient you on the paper. This will help you establish location and proportion on your drawing. Either of the forms of optical indexing are extremely useful for establishing proportions.

Si TIP You can create a reusable grid Ifht through a variety of methods:

Make a grid on a computer and print it on an acetate overhead.

Draw a grid on acetate overhead material.

Draw a grid, run it through a copier and make copies on acetate.

Make a grid on a clear insert or folder, and slide the photo into the insert.

Using the flattening and optical indexing tools, I was able to accurate- jeffery Stuart ly line up the features of Jeffery's face. The optical indexing tool was 14" x 11" (36cm x 28cm)

especially useful for helping me draw his glasses in proportion to the rest of his face.

Using the flattening and optical indexing tools, I was able to accurate- jeffery Stuart ly line up the features of Jeffery's face. The optical indexing tool was 14" x 11" (36cm x 28cm)

especially useful for helping me draw his glasses in proportion to the rest of his face.

Shape

This drawing is based on an award-winning photograph by B. Kelly Dullanty. It was used with his written permission and the release of the subject in the photograph. That might seem to be a lot of work for just this one drawing, but the alternative is copyright infringement—also known as stealing.

wedding

You have learned how to map out the locations of the facial features. Now you need to focus on the features themselves—the shapes that make up the face—train your mind how to seek out shapes. In this chapter you'll learn about a series of tools and techniques that artists have learned or developed to help them see better. Artists generally use these tools without even really thinking about them. The more tools or "ways of seeing" you have at your disposal, the easier it is for you to draw accurately.

Even young children can demonstrate this ability to seek out and distinguish shapes. It is this ability that enables them to write letters. Drawing is the same concept, but you must hone this ability to a higher level. This chapter will teach you to discern the subtle shapes in the information-rich visual world.